News24 May 2006


Collins, Bolt, Kemboi and Jackson join Ostrava fields

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Ezekiel Kemboi - Steeplechase gold - Melbourne 2006 (© Getty images)

 Kim Collins, the 2003 World champion at 100 meters, Olympic steeplechase champion Ezekiel Kemboi and Bershawn Jackson, the reigning World champion in the 400 metre hurdles, are the latest additions for Ostrava's Golden Spike on Tuesday, 30 May.

Along with Collins, the young Jamaican sensation Usain Bolt will contest the Istvan Gyulai Memorial 200 metre race, held in honour of the recently deceased IAAF General Secretary.

"I feel honoured to be able to run this special 200m in remembrance of Istvan Gyulai," said Collins, who has a bronze medal from the 2001 World Championships to his credit in the longer dash. "I will give it my best and hope this race will be organsied every year, for us to remember him." Bolt, still just 19, has run 20.08 and 20.10 this season. Along with American Bernard Williams and Jamaican Omar Brown, the field will target the meet record of 20.30 set by Justin Gatlin in 2004.

Jackson, who carries the nickname "Batman," is expected to be the only athlete to make the long journey to the eastern Czech city after competing at the Prefontaine Classic in Eugene, Oregon, just two days earlier. Jackson, who already has a world-leading 47.60 to his credit this season, will face Commonwealth Games champion Louis van Zyl from South Africa and Athens Olympic silver medalist Danny McFarlane from Jamaica.

Kemboi, who led a Kenyan podium sweep in the 3000 metre Steeplechase at the 2004 Olympic Games, returns to Ostrava for the fourth time, after a win in 2003 and runner-up finish in 2004, but the Commonwealth champion will be eager to make ammends on his lacklustre sixth place finish a year ago.

Organisers also announced that decathletes Bryan Clay and Roman Sebrle, 1-2 at last year's World Championships, will come to Ostrava following their competition at the Gotzis multi events competition to be held this weekend (27-28 May). The pair indicated that they may contest an exhibition competition in the Shot Put.

Alfons Juck with Bob Ramsak for the IAAF

 

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